Weapons Of Anew Guitarist Freddy Ordine Talks About How The Band Formed

I caught up with Freddy Ordine from Weapons of Anew while they made a tour stop in Orlando in support of Tesla.

How did you start playing the guitar?

I started playing when I was about probably five or six years old. My dad played acoustically. It was always around me. My dad would teach me, Jimi Hendrix. I loved it. We couldn’t afford an amp, and so I would plug into the mic input and put on my stereo and crank the crap out of it and if I could blow it up to get those tones. About 12 or 13 when I really started taking it seriously I began to listen to Joe Satriani and learn from his music note for note. We didn’t have tablature or YouTube. It was a work of passion like you have to love what you want and what you’re doing and break down parts and just learn how to play and play by ear. I think I was 16 or 17 when I started axing. When I was 16, my band Axiom got signed to a division of Sony Records. It was a rapper type of label. We were label mates with the Fat Boys and The Cover Girls. My parents had to sign my first contract.

After that, I met my wife, took some time off, raised my kids. Late 90’s came, and I got the urge to play again. I formed the band HavocHate and did two records with them. I stepped away for a couple of years to raise my kids. I pursued my Master’s Degree from Berklee College too.

How did Weapons of Anew form?

FO: Two years ago I met Chris, our drummer. He was playing in a local band, and he needed a fill-in guitar player. He asked me hey can you come out and do some shows and I was like I don’t want too. When I saw Chris play. He’s a monster. He’s full of energy. He’s older than me but young when it comes to playing and writing. I was like, let’s do it. The three of us were writing for a little while, and we were looking for singers, and we couldn’t find a guy that that fit. Ray West’s name kept coming up, and people were like, hey you have to talk to Ray West. I’m like the Spread Eagle guy? They wear makeup and stuff! I’m not into that. His name kept coming up, and they kept insisting I talk to Ray. You’d get along with him. So finally I get on the phone, and it was like an instant connection. He was so not what I expected. He loves music. I mean he’s so not what you see in the Spread Eagle videos. He’s not that guy at all. He’s a musician. He loves all kinds of music.

So when we finally got in a room together and the song kill shot came along in probably two hours. It was meant to be.

How are the ESP USA Guitars doing for you?

FO: Phenomenal! Unbelievable. I’ve been with ESP for about two years now, They’re the best guitars I’ve played, and I’m delighted with them. Bogner Amps too. They’ve been great to me.